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Nope, Google Docs isn’t dead. This is not
another Googleocalypse. Instead of eliminating something (like
it regrettably did with Google Desktop), the
search mammoth has hit one out of the ballpark with a change that
gives you multiple advantages, all in a new product called
Google Drive.

Now, Google combines its collaborative office suite with a cloud
storage platform that lets you kill two birds with one stone.
Google Drive is a place to store your pictures, create new
documents, collaborate with others in content and spreadsheet
creation, and access them from any device no matter where you
are.

OK. There’s no need to sweeten this any further. We all know that
Google Drive is a powerful product. But what about its cons?

Here are a few:

The interface doesn’t explain in-depth what a fusion table is
or how to use it. If Google would have a video on this, I think
that many people would use this feature. At the time of this
article’s publication, the fusion table (in the “Create >
More” menu) is experimental, so I guess that Google will
eventually have more in-depth material on this. From what I know,
it’s a table that allows you to join different data sets from
spreadsheets.

Google Drive has half the space that Gmail currently gives
you. How something like email would require 10 GB is beyond me.
However, there’s another side to the coin: Google Drive lets you
upgrade from 5 GB to 25 GB for nearly $2.50 a month. It allows
you to add up to 16 TB of additional storage.

You might lose some docs in the midst of all the new folders
and labels. If you want to find a doc that you lost, click “More”
below all of the folder labels. It’ll be there. That’s a
workaround, though, and workarounds are a “no-no” when
introducing people to a new piece of software.

It’s mobile, but not as mobile as it should be. What I mean
is that Google Drive currently only works on Android phones.
Google says that it’s working diligently (wink, wink) on getting
an iOS version out. Since iOS switched over from Google Maps to
Apple Maps, I’m not sure if Google’s going to put such an effort
on the “Google Drive for iOS” project. It might eventually end up
being “Apple Drive.”

It’s iffy on the compliance side. If your company has to
comply to HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, or any of those other crazy
acronyms that tear a hole in your head whenever you switch over
to a new cloud application, it’s not exactly the best idea to use
Google Drive for sensitive company documents regarding customer
information or information pertaining to shareholders and
investors.

If the pros outweigh the cons, then by all means hop into Google
Drive. It’s a very powerful environment that allows you to have
ultimate collaboration capabilities between you and your crew.